BA and Virgin tighten security

Virgin Atlantic and British Airways today unveil tough new security measures to thwart hijackings and improve safety in the air.

The two main transatlantic carriers announced separate moves aimed at calming the fears of hundreds of thousands of passengers who are still refusing to fly.

Flight deck doors on Virgin planes are being reinforced with armour plating used on military vehicles that can withstand attacks by knifes, hatchets and handgun fire.

They will also be fitted with a steel and aluminium " deadlock" security bar to prevent entry to the cockpit and a CCTV system will ensure only authorised staff gain entry to the flight deck. The measures will be phased in on all planes by the end of November.

On the ground, Virgin will introduce a number of "covert initiatives" that will focus on enhancing the screening of passengers and baggage prior to take-off.

BA, meanwhile, is placing full-length metal armour plates on cockpit doors on its entire fleet. Flight deck door locks and hinges are also being strengthened. BA's director of security David Hyde said the work on the planes "complements security improvements already introduced on the ground".

The airline is looking at other initiatives including CCTV on flight decks and computer software to " nametrap" passengers with a suspicious background at the check-in stage.

The new security on Virgin is being unveiled before a special flight to New York on a 747 aircraft it has renamed Spirit of New York.

Mayor Ken Livingstone will see the plane off at Heathrow on a journey to underline the camaraderie between London and New York. The 350 passengers are British firefighters who have raised money for their opposite numbers in New York.

They will meet New York's Mayor Rudolph Guiliani as part of their trip.